Wire line cutter



July 6, 1965 J, D. WHITESIDE WIRE'LINE CUTTER Filed Nov. 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l JOHN M/H/ T519105 INVENTOR.

July 6, 1965 J. D. WHITESIPE WIRE LINE CUTTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 5, 1962 INVENTOR.

we mean pipes of larger diameter.

United States Patent 3,193,013 WIRE LINE CUTTER John D. Whiteside PA}. Box 1225, Andrews, Tex. Filed Nov. 5, 1962, Ser, No. 235,377 2 (Ilairns. (Cl. 166-545) This invention relates to wire line cutters adapted for use in wells.

In drilling and producing wells often tools are lowered on wire lines or cables into the well. Sometimes these tools become stuck within the Well. In such cases often it is desirable to cut the wire line at the top of the tool so that the wire line may be removed. After which time, the tool may be fished from the well.

Sometimes the tools are lowered into tubing within the well. By tubing we mean pipes of relatively small diameter, e.g. two or three inches inside diameter. At other times the tools may be lowered within casing. By casing When the tool is within tubing generally there is no attempt made to retrieve the cutter with the wire line, but it is left within the tubing. The cutter is then retrieved by pulling the tubing and removing the cutter from the bottom of the tubing after it has been pulled from the well. However, when the wire line has been cut within casing it is desirable to remove the cutter with the wire line which it has cut.

Previous to this invention wire line cutters have been known which use an explosive charge to actuate mechanical means which operate a knife to cut the line. Also previous to this invention cutters have been used with a single explosive charge which both operate a clamp to clamp the cutter to the cut line and also cut the line.

Generally the wire line is taut when cut. Therefore difliculty is experienced in the wire line cutters of the prior art in attaching them to this taut line inasmuch as often the line jumps from the cutter before it is firmly attached to the wire line.

In general this cutter has an explosive charge which through fluid or hydraulic means operates a knife to cut the line.

Also this invention relates to a new means for clamping the cutter to the line wherein two explosive charges are used. One explosive charge is to cut the line. A second explosive charge is detonated before the other and is used both to actuate a clamp and detonate the other explosive charge.

. An object of this invention is to provide an improved wire line cutter for wells.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved wire line cutter for wells operating with a hydraulic principle.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved wire line cutter clamping the cutter to the line before the line is cut.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cutter utilizing two explosive charges, one explosive charge attaching the cutter to the wire line and the other explosive charge for cutting the line.

Still further objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy, compact, durable, simple, reliable, and versatile, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof will clearly appear from the following description and from the accompanying drawing, the different views of which are not necessarily to the same scale, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial, sectional view of one embodiment of a wire line cutter according to this invention adapted to be used within tubing.

FIG. 2 is a partial elevational view of the embodiment 3,193fi13 Patented July 6, 1965 of FIG. 1 shown with an adapter to use it in a larger size tubing.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the end of the adapter substantially taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, partially broken away, showing the embodiment of FIG. 1 within tubing; the view somewhat fore-shortened for better illustration.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the knife taken on line 55 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an axial sectional view of another embodiment which would be adapted to be used in casing inasmuch as the cutter is clamped to the line. 1

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 6 shown within casing, the casing broken away for clarity, also somewhat fore-shortened.

Referring to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5, it may be seen that the cutter includes an elongated cylindrical body 10. Along the lower portion of the body there are wings 12 which extend outward from the body to at least partially encircle wire line 14 to guide the body along the Wire line. The body has three sections, upper section 16, middle section 18, and lower section 20, which are threaded one to the other. The wings 12 are attached to the lower section 20. Near the top of the upper section 16 is a fishing neck 22 so the tool may be fished from the well if this becomes necessary.

The top of the middle section 18 has a threaded box by which a threaded pin on the lower part of section 16 may be threaded into it. Just below the box there is an upward facing shoulder 24 to receive blank rifle cartridge 26. I choose to use a blank rifle cartridge to contain explosive charges 28 inasmuch as they will hold sufiicient powder, are inexpensive, and are readily available on the market. The cartridge 26 fits within a longitudinal bore within the middle section 18. This bore communicates with a bore in the lower section 20 which is also longitudinal thereof.

Firing pin 3% is mounted for rectilinear motion within a bore in the upper section 16. It is normally held in upper position by set screw 32 which extends through the wall of the upper section 16 and into a hole within the firing pin 30. The lower part of the firing pin has a nipple which is aligned with primer 25 of the cartridge 26. Therefore it may be seen that impact upon the top of the firing pin 30 will detonate the explosive charge 28 if the set screw 32 is released. Brass disc 33 is between the upper section .16 and middle section 18. Sufficient impact must be delivered to the firing pin to rupture this disc before detonation occurs.

Top piston 34 has an upper part of smaller diameter which fits within the bore of middle section 18. This upper section has an rubber O-ring 36 which forms a seal within the bore and also holds the toppiston 34 snugly in place. The lower portion of the top piston 34 is within the bore of the lower section 20 which is of larger diameter. Lower piston 38 is separated from the top piston 34 by a flat rubber bumper disc 40. The lower piston 38 forms a fluid-tight seal with the bore by means of steel rings 42. The lower piston is maintained in place by shear pin 44- made of soft metal such as brass. Gas port 46 opposite the shear pin provides an exhaust for the gases resulting from the detonation of the explosive charge 23, after the top piston has moved down thus exposing the port 46 to the bore of the lower section 20.

O-ring 37 insures a gas-tight fit along the threads between the middle section 18 and lower section 20.

A transverse opening 48 extends normal to the axis of the body It) at the lower end thereof. It is of circular cross-section. Knife 53 is mounted within this transverse opening with the blade pointed outward. Theback of the knife has a circular cross-section which is correlative in shape to the transverse opening and therefore'forms a fluid-tight seal therewith. This seal is enhanced by steel ring 52. Drill hole 54 extends from the bottom of the lower section 20 of body into the bore of the lower section 20. It is closed at the bottom by plug 56. The drill hole 54 provides means for loading grease 58 into the bore and forms a means of communication from the bore to'the transverse openingbehind knife 50. The knife 50 is held in place by shear pin 60. The bore is loaded with the grease 58.. Rubber disc 6'2is between the lower piston 38 and the grease 58. 7

In operation the cutter is assembled and loaded as shown. To use, it is dropped within tubing 64 with the Wings 12 partially surrounding the .line 14. The line 14 is drawn taut so that the cutter makes a free fall along the line to the bottom of the well. The set screw 32 is loosened before the cutter is dropped within the tubing 64. The free fall of the cutter will.continue .until the bottom of the cutter strikes the tool on the bottom of the cable 14. It may be that the impact of the cutter upon the tool (not shown) will be suflicient to drive the firing pin into the primer 25.0f the cartridge 26 thus detonating the explosive charge 28. However, if this does not occur a metal rod is dropped within the tubing. 64 to. impact against the top of the firing pin '30 to drive it into the primer thus detonating the charge 28.- The expanding gases resulting from the detonation of the explosive charge 28 will drive the piston downward thus forcing the grease 58 downward which will force the knife 50 outward cutting the line 14. The force of the expanding gases will be sufiicient to -shear the pins 44Vand 60. When the pistons reach their'lower point the port 46 will be opened to expel the spent gasesso that his not dangerous to dissemble the tool at a later time.

It may be seen that the tool may be loaded and stored for long periods of time Without deterioration or danger.

With the set screw 32"firmly screwed' in place there is no danger of detonating'the. explosive charge 28 prematurely I Likewise the steel rings andO-rings around. the piston ,to-

gether with the rubber discs 40 and 62 prevent the grease 58 from contaminating the explosive charge 28.

As may beseen the operation of the cutter in falling down the tubing 64 along wire line 14 depends onsomewhat filling the space within the tubing 64. If there is too much clearance it is possible that the cutter would not be guided along the line 14 inits fall. To prevent making upper portion of the bore within the body or part 70. In this regard it may be seen that in both embodiments the body has a longitudinal bore with the explosive charge 28 in one end and the knife 50 at the other end and that both ends of the bore are closed. Also it will been seen that although I prefer tonse grease that other fluid-like substances would be adaptable for use herein. However, I particularly prefer a jelly-like fluid inasmuch as it is less likely to leakaround the pistons. In this regard the grease might also be described somewhat as a readily extrudable plastic material. 'Also 'greaseis easier to contain 7 by ring 52 around knife 50than thinner fluids.

a different size cutter for each size tubing 64 I have de signed a sleeve 66 to fit around the body 10 or more particularly the lower section 20 of the body 10 when it is to be used in a larger sized tubing 64. This sleeve has a generally cylindrical outside configuration as the body 10 does.

In cross-section it is generally U-shaped. The inside dimensions are approximately the same as the outside dimensions of the lower section 20 which it fits around. It is held in place by two set screws 68. In use it forms .The bore'wi-thin the'part 70-extcnds on through the top and is closed at the top by plug 80 which is threaded into the top of the bore. Sleeve 82 fits between the bore and the fining pin 78 to hold the firing pin: snugly'in place. The firingpin 7:8 is mounted for vertical motion. 7

The part 72 has an upper section 116 carrying a firing pin 130' normally held in place by set screw 132 and a fishing neck122 all of correlative design and like function to those parts bearing-similar numbers in the embodiment'describedin FIG. 1; The clamp part 7 2 also has a middle section 118 carrying a cartridge 126 and explosive charge 128 with similar function to those correlative parts of the embodiment of FIG. l. I There is a piston 13:4- corresponding indesign and function to the like piston of the former-embodiment. I a

The piston 134 on its downward travel drives wedge 84 which activates malecla'mp member 86 to move' transversely of the cutter, Inclined surface 88 stops the wedge 84 and prevents the wedge from damaging the cutter in case it still-.has'energy'remaining after it has driven the clamp member 86 to its. full extended position. The movement of the clamp member 86 by the wedge 84 is somewhat 'similarto the .operationof Kinleys cutter disclosedin the United States Patent 2,185,303, issued Janu-' ary 1940, and it will he understoodby those skilled in the art without additional explanationhere. At the top of the incline plane of wedge 84-, there is a flatportion 90 which mates with a flat portion at the back of the member 86 is maintained in place by shear pin 92 until it is driven forward. Gas port 94 permits escape of gases as explained before. 7

I Femaleclamp member 964's maintained in place within the cutter part 70 by shear pin 98. The clamp member 96 is opposite the clamp. member 86.. The bottom of the clamp member 96 has an inclined surface which is correlative to aninclined surface at the top of the firing pin 78:

a complete enclosure for wire line 14 and the line is out against the sleeve rather than against the tubing.

Referring now to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6, 7, i

and- 8, it will be seen that this cutter is generally in two parts; cutter section 70 and clamp section 72 which are attached together by bolts 74 to form a unitary cutter having a generally cylindrical outline inasmuch as each is generally. hemi-cylindrical. each of the part-s 70 and 72 have a longitudinally extending concave groove 76 between them so that wire line.14 may be guided between them. i

The cutter section 70 is quite-similar to the. cutter of the embodiment of FIG 1 inasmuch as it has a knife 50 which is within a transverse opening which is activated by grease 58 which is compressed by piston 38. The piston 38 is pushed down by explosive charge 28 within a cartridge 26. Firing pin 78 detonates the cartridge. The firing pin 78' is mounted for rectilinear motion within the It will also be seen that In operation the cutter is assembled; around a line 14.and allowedto drop down the line within a casing 100. When it reaches the bottom of the hole the explosive c ar e ,128 is detonated'as-i'n the previous embodiment. This drives the wedge, .84 down moving the clamp member 86 across. The clamp members'86 and 96 securely clamps the ;cutterto the line 14. *Only when the cutter is securely clamped to the line 14 and the female clamp member 96' moved back is the firing pin 78 driven down. The'firing pin 78 is drivendown by the actionofthe inclined surface on clamp member 96 moving over the inclined surface on the fining.pin-78. t The downward movement of-the pin 78 detonates thecharge 28 to produce motion which istransmitte d to'the knife 50 to cut .the wire. Therefore I- have :provided means for securely dinal opening whereby movement of said knife cuts a line therein,

(f) a second explosive charge in said body,

(g) clamp means adjacent said longitudinal opening for clamping a line within said opening to said body,

(h) means responsive to detonation of said second explosive charge for actuating said clamp means, and

(i) means responsive to said detonation of said second explosive charge and said actuating of said clamp means for initiating the detonation of said first mentioned explosive charge.

2. A wire line cutter comprising:

(a) a body with a generally cylindrical outside configuration,

(b) means along said body for guiding said body along awire line,

(0) said body having a bore extending longitudinally thereof within said body,

(d) an explosive charge at the top of said bore,

(e) a firing pin extending from the top of said body,

(f) means between the firing pin and explosive charge for detonating the explosive charge responsive to an impact upon said firing pin,

(g) said body having a transverse opening at the bottom thereof,

(h) said transverse opening being in communication with said longitudinal bore,

(i) a knife within said transverse opening,

(j) said knife having a portion of correlative shape to said transverse opening so that said knife forms a fluid tight seal within said opening,

(k) said knife being mounted for sliding movement within said transverse opening,

(1) said knife positioned to be opposite a wire line within the means for guiding the body along a wire line,

(m) a fluid-like substance within said bore and opening so that when the explosive charge is detonated the knife is forced outward to cut a wire line,

(11) said body having a second longitudinal bore therein,

(0) a second explosive charge within said second bore,

(p) means within said body responsive to detonation of said second charge for clamping said body to a line within said guiding means, and

(q) means for actuation of said firing pin responsive to the firing of said second explosive charge and the clamping of said body to said line.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,910,851 5/33 Moss et al. l6655.2 2,100,807 11/37 Kinley 166-63 2,457,277 12/48 Schlumberger l6655.1 2,794,619 6/57 Lawrence et al. 16654.6

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Examiner. 

1. A WIRE LINE CUTTER COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED BODY, (B) A LONGITUDINAL OPENING THROUGH SAID BODY ADAPTED FOR A LINE TO BE CUT TO PASS THROUGH, (C) AN EXPLOSIVE CHARGE WITHIN SAID BODY, (D) A KNIFE WITHIN SAID BODY, (E) MEANS RESPONSIVE TO DETONATION OF THE SAID EXPLOSIVE CHARGE FOR MOVING SAID KNIFE INTO SAID LONGITUDINAL OPENING WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID KNIFE CUTS A LINE THEREIN, (F) A SECOND EXPLOSIVE CHARGE IN SAID BODY, 